Deaf club provides students with resources

CANDIDATE: Brian Pineda, 23, next to current treasurer Erika Alonso, 42, gives a speech on why he should be the next club treasurer.

CANDIDATE: Brian Pineda, 23, next to current treasurer Erika Alonso, 42, gives a speech on why he should be the next club treasurer.

The Deaf Club has relaunched with a mission to gain additional services and support at LBCC.

The club was founded in 2011, but did not survive one year. This Fall, the club, one of over 50 at the LAC, was restarted again with members’ goal to open discussion to the administration about not receiving equal access on information and services on campus.

Services included lack of accuracy in video captioning provided from teachers and videos posted on the LBCC website, restriction of hours allotted for sign-language interpreters to work per week and maximized hours and switching back and forth with interpreters.

Noelle Tully, 21, a history major and Club Senate representative for the Deaf Club, said, “What I do really like about this club is the deaf students’ equal partnership and interaction that we foster. I know that we struggle with our experience and frustration that comes up and also how to confront these adverse situations and try to advocate ourselves and each other. That’s important and I am really interested in this club because we all have different goals and objectives.”

Tep Thoeurb, a disable students counselor, said, “I love it. They’re a really good group of students and when they have that town hall meeting I was really proud of them that they were able to advocate themselves and to let them know what are their challenges and issues that they have in school. That’s really important for their academic success were planning to continue it in the Spring.”

Issues with the sign-language community has been ongoing with the LBCC administration in the past, but after the club’s rebirth, the students have been more outspoken and open about their issues and what needs to be done for the campus to provides services for the deaf community.

Daniel Cho, 26, an American Sign Language major and vice president of the club, said, “I don’t regret joining. … Now I finally got the opportunity to see. So I get to learn so much and it made a huge impact on me with all of their situations. I get it and I understand where they’re coming from and hearing out other people’s opinions are really fantastic.”

The club consists of 13 members, two interprets and two advisers. They meet every Friday from 12:30-2:30 p.m.

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